The State Department of Education and five Connecticut tribal nations are working together to meet a legislative mandate calling for Native American curriculum for K-12 social studies classes. Resources with localized information from the tribal nations themselves – Eastern Pequot, Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan, Schaghticoke and Golden Hill Paugussett – are expected to be available in January 2024.

This hour, we preview this collaboration with educators from the Mohegan Tribal Nation and the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, as well as State Department of Education social studies advisor Steve Armstrong.

Darlene Kascak, education coordinator for the Institute of American Indian Studies and a traditional Native American storyteller with the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, explains the importance of centering, and distinguishing, each tribe's story and voice.

Plus, Sam Cholewa Tondreau is the director of curriculum and instruction for the Mohegan Tribal Nation, helping develop the Educators Project, an online portal that provides a "combination of free Native American study resources and tools" to educators and homeschoolers.

GUESTS:

• Darlene Kascak: Education Coordinator, Institute of American Indian Studies; Traditional Native American Storyteller, Schaghticoke Tribal Nation
• Sam Cholewa Tondreau: Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Mohegan Tribal Nation
• Steve Armstrong: Social Studies Consultant, Connecticut State Department of Education

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